Abrams reveals how (and why) Lucas will be involved in Star Wars 7

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With Star Trek Into Darkness about to hit the big screen, J.J. Abrams is shifting his focus to the next installment in the Star Wars franchise. But with original creator George Lucas still keeping an eye on the series, he’ll have some company in the kitchen. So how involved will Lucas actually be?

Abrams did an interview with Playboy, and talked at length about his love for Star Wars and how he got involved with Star Trek. It’s a great read, and well worth a look for any genre fans wanting a peek inside the brain of the guy shepherding two of the biggest sci-fi properties in the world.

Not surprisingly, Abrams has a pretty unique perspective on the project, and said he's going to take advantage of Lucas’ expertise when he’s putting together Episode VII. Abrams said he definitely plans on using Lucas as a resource, something he couldn’t do on Trek because creator Gene Roddenberry passed away back in the early 1990s.

As for Lucas’ confirmed involvement? That could be good or bad news, depending on which Lucas we’re talking about here. Original trilogy George? Hell yes. But prequel trilogy George? Let’s keep that guy out of the loop.

Here’s an excerpt from Abrams’ interview:

“As with anything, because these are very different worlds, they shouldn’t feel the same aesthetically. They can’t. You’re right. But again, I don’t apply aesthetics first and fit a movie into that aesthetic. If I had come into Star Trek with those eyes, I would probably have been paralyzed. The advantage here is that we still have George Lucas with us to go to and ask questions and get his feedback on things, which I certainly will do. With Star Trek it was harder because I wasn’t a Star Trek fan; I didn’t have the same emotional feeling, and I didn’t have Gene Roddenberry to go to. But I came to understand the world of Star Trek, and I appreciated what fans felt and believed about this universe and this franchise.”

It’s definitely an interesting point, and shows that Abrams does at least attempt to show some reverence when he’s playing in someone else’s sandbox. Do you think it’s a good move to keep Lucas involved, or do you wish Abrams would just take the concept and run with it?